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This Is How Retail Stores Track Your Smartphone [VIDEO]

YFind Technologies’ Indoor Positioning System is one example of how retail stores are tracking their customers.

Imagine you’re in a drug store, buying some personal items, or at a bookstore reading up on certain medical issues. You would’ve thought these shopping activities weren’t anyone’s business but your own. However, if you have a smartphone on you, your exact location in these stores can be tracked.

We’ve previously reported on retail stores tracking customers’ location via their smartphone’s Wi-Fi signal, and this practice is becoming more common as an increasing number of retailers are looking for more accurate data on customer movement throughout their stores.

One of the more well known companies providing this technology, Euclid Analytics, claims that is had already tracked approximately 50 million devices in 4,000 locations. In many cases, shoppers have no idea they’re phones are being tracked, or aren’t given a chance to opt-out.

Another company, YFind Technologies- with offices in Singapore and San Jose- has a tracking system called TheRetailHQ. According to their website, it monitors foot traffic by the minute, and the amount of time customers spend in parts of stores or shopping malls. It also knows whether the shopper is a new or returning visitor, as well as how often they visit.

Want to see how this cell phone tracking technology actually works? Below is a video of YFind’s founder being tracked as he walks around a large mall in Singapore.

Editor’s Note: YFind is now part of Ruckus Wireless based out of Sunnyvale, CA. It appears they have removed the original video that was posted here- maybe permanently. The staff of stopcellphonetracking.com has found a replacement video that shows a similar, highly accurate wi-fi tracking system in action. You can learn more about how the tracking system works on Ruckus’ site here.